Martin Rush 1732 - 1826 Rednersville Prince Edward County

Martin Rush UE, 1732 - 1826 

Rednersville, Prince Edward County

Home Page My database at Rootsweb Contact Me
Pioneers of the Bay of Quinte

Why I am interested in this family:
Martin Rush UE came from NJ and I am interested in learning more about NJ emigrants to the Quinte area.  Peter Bolton sent me all the material below and he writes, "Martin Rush, according to Dr. Burr's reference to the "Rush family Bible", was born 10 Nov 1732 in Duchess County, NY and died about 09? Feb 1827 in Rednersville, Ontario.  His wife was reported to be Abigail Lockwood, whom he married c1855 in the US.  They had five known children: Elizabeth (who married Coonrad Frederick), John, Catherine (who married Asa Blanchard), James and Martin Jr.He writes, I'd like to find out something about Abigail Lockwood's lineage, but to date have found nothing.  While there are Lockwoods about, I just can't link them to her."

Martin Rush first went to the Maritimes before coming to Upper Canada, likely with Coonrad Frederick.


NOTES FROM PETER BOLTON

...information obtained from the National Archives (Reel M-365 of the 'British Headquarters Papers, New York, 1774-1783' (or the 'Carleton Papers') include the New York muster roll of 26 Aug 1781, showing Martin Rush employed as a carpenter at Horn's Hook, under the orders of Captain Alexander Mercer, Commanding Engineer.  As a refugee originally from New Jersey, he received relief payments from 30 Sep 1782 (when he was listed with a wife and two children) to Sep 1783, whereupon it is believed he was evacuated from New York to New Brunswick on 08 September.

Further information re the above came from Todd Braisted... ¦
   The Quarter Master General's Department was just one of the several departments collectively known as the Civil Branches of the Army.  These branches were the Quarter Master General's, Commissary General's, Barrack Master General's, Wagon Master General's, Bridge, and Engineer's Departments.
   In addition, the Royal Artillery Regiment, under the jurisdiction of the Board of Ordnance, had its own departments, the Ordnance Branch and the Horse Department.  These departments employed thousands of Loyalists during the Revolution.  During peace time they were kept at minimal numbers due to the small size and relative inactivity of the army.  But during time of conflict these departments swelled to huge numbers, often in excess of their true needs.  Such was the case during the Revolution.  These branches served in every theater of the war.
   The Civil Branches basically performed the services of the support units in the modern army.  Combined, they were responsible for the troops barracks, transportation, firewood, food, furniture, forage, fortifications, etc.  In short, everything required to maintain a soldier in the field or in garrison was the responsibility of these people.  These Loyalists were not technically soldiers.  They were not uniformed as such, nor armed.  They could also apply for discharge.  Soldiers were also paid considerably less than the Civil Branches were.  Some few companies of volunteers were raised amongst the branches during time of emergency to serve as soldiers.  They were the exception to the rule.
   At the close of the war the branches were once again drastically reduced to their peace time establishment.  The Loyalists who served in them were mostly discharged and received the same benefits of other refugees and soldiers in modern Canada.
  Horn's Hook is on Manhattan Island, on the upper east side.  It was about midway between New York City and Kingsbridge, south of Bloomingdale.

...from "Loyalists in the Southern Campaign Vol III: Official Rolls of Loyalists Recruited from the Middle Atlantic Colonies, with Lists of Refugees from Other Colonies":
"Refugees (Partial) List of sundry persons who have taken refuge within the British lines and petitioned the Commander-In-Chief for relief with report on the said petitions by the board appointed by His excellency, Sir Guy Carleton, Commander-In-Chief, to consider the circumstances and claims of the said petitioners, New York, 30 Sept 1782
New York:
Martin Rush, has a wife and 2 children..."

...from Esther Wright's 'Loyalists of New Brunswick (p. 324):
Martin Rush; former home- N.J.; Rev. service- Engineering Department; 1st grant- Frederickton

...in Isaiah W. Wilson's 'Geography and History of the County of Digby' (p. 72), Martin was reported to have been living in New Brunswick in 1783 and Nova Scotia in 1784.

...from the Ward Chipman Papers:
Ward Chipman the Elder, (1754-1824), a Massachusetts lawyer, was also an army administrator in the State of New York between 1777 and 1783. In 1784, he settled in New Brunswick, where he served as solicitor general until 1808. The Ward Chipman Papers contain muster rolls of Loyalists, and their families, who were members of demobilized regiments and who settled in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This research tool provides access to nearly 19,000 references to Loyalist families.

Name:  RUSH, Martin  1
Year:  1784
Place:  Digby
Group/Regiment:  Loyalist
Type of Record:  Muster roll
Record Title:  Muster Roll of Disbanded Officers Discharged and Disbanded Soldiers and Loyalists Mustered at Digby the 29th May 1784.
Reference:  Ward Chipman Papers
MG 23 D1, Series 1, volume 24, page 10
Microfilm reel number:  C-9818
(This, and the following entry, may well refer to Martin Rush, Jr., as an explanatory  note claims that a "1" after the name  - which applies to Martin - denotes an unmarried man.)

...from the The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (quarterly-1903) - Extracts (pg. 194):
Martin Rush
Event:  Lived
Year:  1784
Place:  Digby
County:  Nova Scotia
Province:  Canada
Additional info:  Also available on microfilm at Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

...from the RS108 New Brunswick Land Petitions: Original Series 1783-1918:
Date: 1785
County: York
On Microfilm F1026 see petition of Gerrard, William
All names on this petition:
Davis, Jonathan
Frederick, Conrad
Gerrard, William
Rush, Martin

Gerrard's petition begins:
St. [?] Anns March 15th 1785
Capt. Shaw,
Please to give in our Names for a Draft of Lands as soon as you can & you will Oblige Sir
Your Humb. Serv.ts
William Gerrard
Jn. Davis
Martin Rush
Condrod Frederick
As we belong to your Company.
William Gerrard & 3 others. Capt. Shaws Comp. 3 ask [?] their names to be returned for a Draft of Lands.
In Council [18th April ?]
Names to be registered...

...Property Confiscations, Bergen County (Great Britain, Public Record Office, Audit Office, Class 12, Volume 85, folios 43-46):
[Extract]
A list of the names of all those Persons whose property was Confiscated in the Several Counties of the State of New Jersey, for joining the Army of the King of Great Britain &c. as returned to the Auditors Office, previous to the first day of May 1787.
Bergen County
(included)
Conrad TEDERICK (although clearly written as Tederick on the document, it might well be a transcription error from the original.)
Martin RUSH

Extract from the publick books in my office given under my hand this first day of June One Thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven 1787.
Aaron Dunham Auditor
of Acct. New Jersey

...from the 1789 "Old United Empire Loyalists List" (p. 246):
Rush, Martin, Senr.  M District.  Engineer Department.  OC 12 June 1798.

...from Reid's "The Loyalists of Ontario":
Rush, Martin of Ameliasburgh
  ...Elizabeth, m. Conrad Frederick of Ameliasburgh OC 14 Feb 1798
  ...James of Ameliasburgh
  ...Martin Jr. of Ameliasburgh (1761-29 Nov 1826, according to CLR Wannamaker in 'Loyalist Graves in the Bay of Quinte Area'.)  During the Revolution, according to his land petition, he also was connected with the Engineering department of NY, but there is only one Martin Rush mentioned in the Carleton Papers.  The one mentioned had a wife and two children, and as Rush Jr. was only 21 at the time, chances are that the one listed is his father, the two children being James and Martin Jr. - or possibly Catherine.
  ...John of Ameliasburgh
  ...Catharine, m. Asa Blanchard of Ameliasburgh

...from 'The Central Canadians 1600-1900' (p. 2522):
Rush, Martin (Sr.) (UEL), living in 1798.
Martin Rush, according to Dr. Burr's reference to the "Rush fmaily Bible", was born 10 Nov 1732 in Duchess County, NY and died about 09? Feb 1827 in Rednersville, Ontario.  His wife was reported to be Abigail Lockwood, whom he married c1755 in the US.  They had five known children: Elizabeth (who married Coorad Frederick), John, Catherine (who married Asa Blanchard), James and Martin Jr.

Following Martin Jr.'s land petition of 1798 Martin Sr. was given 200 acres on Con. 2, Lot 7 of Hamilton Township on 16 Jan 1805.  The Dempsey-Cunningham pioneer cemetery, where Martin is buried, is located near an apple orchard about two miles west of Rednersville on concession 1, lot 84, three lots east of his Ameliasburgh land grant (C-2740:R3/51).

There are a number of references to Martin in the Minutes of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the Mecklenburg/Midland District, Counties of Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Hastings and Prince Edward (MS694 & 730). These were held in January and July in Adolphustown, and April and October in Kingston:
He was on the jury for the following cases:
29 Jan 1812: William E. Brown vs. Benjamin Gerow for assault (found guilty and fined 5 shillings).  Conrad Frederick was also on this jury.
                   Henry Vandusen vs. Barnard Bongard for petit larceny (not guilty).
30 Jan 1812: Phillip Raddock vs. Peter Vanscott for larceny (not guilty).
24 Jan 1816: John Everitt Jr. vs. David Henesy for assault and battery (not guilty).
25 Jan 1816: A controverted road in Hallowell to the East Lake (opposition to the proposed plan of a road).  No alteration of the present road to take place.

...from Martin's Will, dated 01 Feb 1826:
To the Register of the County of Prince Edward
A memorial of the last Will and Testament of Martin Rush, which Will is in the words following.
To wit - In the name of God Amen I Martin Rush Senr. of the Township of Ameliasburgh County of Prince Edward, Upper Canada, being in perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, Calling to mind the mortality of my body, Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. Touching? my worldly Estate I give, devise and Dispose of the Same in the following manner and form.  First I give and bequeath to Abigail, my beloved wife, one Cow and Bed and Beding during her natural life and her Support on Lot Eighty one that we now Possess.
Also I Give to my well-beloved son John Rush Ten dollars.
Also I Give and bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Katherine Ten dollars.
Also I Give and Bequeath unto James my Second Son the East half of Lot number Eighty one in the first Concession of the Township of Ameliasburgh, to him his heirs or assigns.
Also I give unto Martin, my third Son the west half of Lot Eighty one aforesaid to his heirs and assigns forever.
Also after all my Lawful Debts are Paid, I Give all my moveable Property to my Two Sons James and Martin whom I likewise Constitute, make and ordain the Sole Executors  of this my last Will and Testament hereby Revoking all former Wills by me made.
In witness whereof I have Set my hand and Seal this first Day of February in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Twenty-Six.
Martin Rush